By Dr Barton Scotland
Former Senior Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The many interviews given by Sonny Ramphal over the course of an illustrious and still very lively career, the several speeches delivered by him and the many studies in which he participated through over four decades of service to Guyana, the Caribbean and the wider international community and the causes which he has advocated and still advocates, attest to his sterling contribution and commitment to ‘goodness’ and ‘fairness’ in the global polity.
That that contribution was marked in relation to the Caribbean with more than a strong hint of concern for Guyana and things Guyanese is without question.
This is the balance sheet when we observe Sir Shridath Ramphal as he reaches his eightieth birthday, still a strong advocate for the future of the Caribbean and his native land Guyana.
Much has been written about his service over the years and while those writings bear repeating, I shall in paying tribute offer three personal experiences with Sonny Ramphal the Foreign Minister of Guyana which showed another side of the man.
Shortly after I had become a member of the Guyana Foreign Service, I was summoned to the Minister’s Office. There was an urgent need for a paper on the question of consensus as an instrument of decision-making. Certain decisions had been taken by consensus in the meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement and the method of arriving at those decisions was likely to be questioned by a few of his colleague Foreign Ministers at a forthcoming meeting.
The paper was duly prepared and sent to the Minister. On his return from that meeting, the Foreign Minister visited me in my office and not only thanked me for the paper but told me the outcome of its use.
My second reference is to a particular practice of the Minister. One afternoon there was laughter outside my office. After a pause, the door opened, it was the Minister. “Barton we have some work to do tonight.” That was followed by a disarming chuckle: “You should go home early and come back.”
“Coming back” was to the home of the Minister where together with other senior officers of the ministry, there would be intensive brainstorming sessions in dealing with issues facing Guyana or issues requiring urgent treatment by the ministry. In all of the instances, there was a continuous trading of ideas, several of them giving way to others, until the mould was fashioned. That template would become another instrument for use as occasion demanded. As we dispersed from the meetings, oft times with midnight not far away, the minister would thank everyone. “Get home safely,” was always his parting shot.
The preparation of the Minister’s speech for the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly again saw the gathering of the senior members of the delegation with the Minister. Broad themes gave way to ideas which then gave way to the first and subsequent drafts, the final draft being entirely the Minister’s. After the speech was delivered the delegation would return to the Permanent Mission where Minister Ramphal would personally thank everyone.
The driver, office assistant and all the members of the staff of the mission had also played some part in the preparation or distribution of the speech and the Minister personally thanked all. The efforts of all had contributed to the success and all knew that their efforts were appreciated by the Minister.
Throughout all these examples there runs a single thread in the Minister’s course. That thread was to have those working with him so involved in the matter at hand and so inspired that they wished only to do their best and to see the particular enterprise a success. That was a period of firm belief that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with hard work and commitment by all, could serve Guyana best.
Neither the passage of time nor the several calls on his time has weakened his commitment to serve Guyana.
Some four years ago, as Guyana commenced preparation of her submissions to the Law of the Sea Tribunal, Sir Shridath turned to me during a break in the preparations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs − it was 2.30 in the morning − and said, “If anyone had told me that I would be here at this time of my life, I would have doubted them.” My response to him then should have been, “Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.” I did not say it then but I say it now.
In saluting you on your eightieth birthday, I say, “Congratulations and thank you. Keep on keeping on.”